RELATED NEWS

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) suspended a chief air traffic controller, on Friday, for the near-collision of two airplanes on the runway at Da Nang International Airport last month.

Phan Nho Quang, the chief of an air traffic control team working on June 27, also faces a fine for the incident.

The CAAV has asked the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation to suspend the director of the Middle Region Air Traffic Services Company for 15 days to review his role in the incident, which occurred around 8:45 pm on June 27 when Quang let Truong Nguyen Quynh Anh, an intern take over the runways.

Anh instructed a Jetstar Pacific airplane to take off from a runway where a Vietnam Airlines plane coming in from Ho Chi Minh City had just landed.

Twelve seconds after Anh made the instruction for the Jetstar Pacific to take off, the Vietnam Airlines’ pilot informed the air traffic control station that his airplane was still on the runway.

Anh realized her mistake and cancelled the take-off order for the Jetstar Pacific airplane.

The CAAV said Anh won't be licensed for another year after the incident, saying she must be trained further.